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In this issue...

This Month's FREE E-coupon

Green & Healthy Maine Homes Magazine

Backyard Composting Bin Sale

SunriseGuide Mobile Edition Launch Party

A Series of Discussions from MOFGA & the PMA

Free Home Energy Fair

Partner News

Sustainable Living Events

Save the Date

March 2015

Greetings!

Spring is right around the corner and we're getting a head start on celebrating the season. With some great offers, tips for spring cleaning, and plenty of events happening around Maine; we hope this newsletter puts a little "spring" to your step and adds to your enjoyment of the longer, warmer days that WILL be here soon!

This Month's FREE E-coupon

Click on the logo below to print this month's exclusive offer.

10% off an oven or refrigerator deep-cleaning when you sign up for weekly or bi-weekly service from Green Clean Maine

Coming Soon - Green & Healthy Maine Homes Magazine!

The inaugural issue of our new Green & Healthy Maine Homes magazine releases later this month. Created as a resource for Mainers interested in creating healthy, efficient and sustainable home environments, our goal is to inspire higher performing Maine homes that are as healthy for the people who live in them as they are for the planet. From energy audits to air sealing, solar panels to heat pumps, indoor air quality to urban homesteading; we explore the options and share how they're being implemented in Maine. Stay tuned for more info about the magazine release!

Backyard Composting Bin Sale

It's time once again for the Backyard Composting Bin Sale, organized by Maine Resource Recovery Association. The sale runs from now through May 2, 2015, and participating municipalities will be selling composting units and equipment, along with rain barrels. Residents receive a free "how to" guide with their purchase of a composter. Contact your town or MRRA for more information.

SunriseGuide Mobile Edition Launch Party TOMORROW!

To celebrate the launch of the SunriseGuide mobile edition, we are partnering with our friends at Frontier Cafe + Cinema to host a "H-app-y Hour" event tomorrow evening (Wed. 3/11) from 5-7pm. The event is free to attend and you can pick up the mobile edition for just $10 (reg $14.95). If that's not reason enough to attend, half of the proceeds from mobile app/book sales, $1 from each "Winter Sunrise" signature cocktail, and 20% of special appetizer sales will benefit Natural Resources Council of Maine. Tasty win-win!

To get all the details and let us know whether you'll be joining us tomorrow, please visit our Facebook event page.

Growing Concerns: A Series of Discussions from MOFGA & the PMA

The Portland Museum of Art and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) will once again be partnering for a series of events about growing concerns and issues in our communities. Every event is at the PMA and the topics and dates are as follows: "Urban Agriculture" on Saturday, March 14th at 11am, "The Hidden World of Bees and Pollination" on Thursday, March 26th at 6:30pm, and "Inside the Portland Food Co-op" on Saturday, April 4th at 11am. The tickets are $10 apiece (free for members of either organization) and advanced registration is recommended.

Spring Cleaning

Since March weather and temperatures often keep us indoors more than we'd like, it's a great month to tackle cleaning projects around the house. Not only is it a remedy for cabin fever, but you'll be ready for outdoor fun...because who wants to spend time inside cleaning once the days are warmer and longer?! Here are a few tips for your spring cleaning projects.

Clean your home without exposing you and your family to added chemicals with these easy recipes for making your own green cleaners. Have clothes that need to be professionally laundered? Consider getting them wet-cleaned in order to avoid the harsh chemicals used in dry-cleaning. And speaking of clothing...after you clean out your closet and have a whole pile of clothes you no longer wear, repurpose them with one of these do-it-yourself projects: turn old dresses into throw pillows, make your own draft door stopper, and make felted mittens from old sweaters. (And then donate the rest to a local consignment store!)

Free Home Energy Fair in South Portland this weekend

Learn how to save energy dollars while reducing your environmental impact! Local companies and nonprofits will be exhibiting solar energy, heat pumps, pellet boilers, biofuels, energy efficiency, natural gas, green grid power, and more. And we'll be there with books and the new mobile edition. Door prizes, children's entertainment, and workshops! From 10am-3pm on Saturday, March 14th at the South Portland Community Center. Hosted by the Greater Portland Sustainability Council and other local partners. Click here for full details.

SunriseGuide Partner News

Efficiency Maine recently held their annual symposium and honored businesses for their outstanding energy efficiency contribution in Maine. Congratulations to Evergreen Home Performance (two awards - Business Programs and Marketing) and Maine Hardware (Business Programs), who were among the award recipients.

Congratulations to Green Clean Maine for receiving the 2015 Business for Better Bicycling award from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.

Jayleen Hayden has moved her Reiki practice, and will now be practicing out of Organic Roots Salon & Day Spa at 545 Westbrook Street in South Portland.

Congratulations to Mary Allen Lindemann from Coffee By Design who recently received the Merle Nelson Women Making a Difference award from Women, Work, and Community.

Congratulations to Assured Solar for being awarded the contract for the new Solarize Freeport project, along with InSource Renewables.

Like us on Facebook and stay up-to-date on green and healthy happenings in Maine; including exclusive online offers, local business news, sustainability news, events, and more! Just click the thumb to become our fan on Facebook.

Sustainable Living Event Highlights

This list is just a sampling of the many events happening around Maine. Please visit the Local Events section on our website for even more events.

Portland Greendrinks

Mar. 10, 5:30-7:30pm, Circus Conservatory of America, Portland

Author Presentation: "Unique Maine Farms"

Mar. 10, 6:30-8pm, Belfast Free Library, Belfast

SunriseGuide H-app-y Hour to benefit NRCM

Mar. 11, 5-7pm, Frontier Caf� + Cinema, Brunswick

Home Energy Fair

Mar. 14, 10am-3pm, South Portland Community Center, South Portland

PMA & MOFGA Present: "Urban Agriculture"

Mar. 14, 11am, Portland Museum of Art, Portland

3-Step Systems Approach to Natural Turf Management

Mar. 14, 1-4:30pm, Ogunquit Fire Station, Ogunquit

Scaling Up to Local: Finding and Treating Well the Labor Force Needed for a Local and Sustainable Maine Food System

Mar. 16, 9:30am-4pm, USM Glickman Library, Portland

Cleantech Open Northeast

Mar. 16, 6:30-8:30pm, Think Tank Co-working, Portland

Info Session: Bulk Purchase of Solar & Heat Pumps

Mar. 18, 7pm, South Portland High School, South Portland

Solar Success!

Mar. 20, 3:30-5pm, Wells Reserve, Wells

Garden Kickstart Workshop

Mar. 21, 10am-12pm, Merryspring Nature Center, Camden

Maine Maple Sunday

Mar. 22, Various locations, Statewide

Renewable Energy - Subsidies as de facto energy policy?

Mar. 25, 7:30-10am, Governor Hill Mansion, Augusta

Climate Change Update - Maine Wildlife in Trouble

Mar. 25, 7-9pm, Maine Audubon, Falmouth

Portland Trails 15x15 and Annual Meeting

Mar. 25, 6-8pm, SPACE Gallery, Portland

Fermentation 101

Mar. 31, 6:30-8:30pm, The Resilience Hub, Portland

For a complete list of events, please visit the Local Events section on our website.

Save the Date

2015 Northeast Indoor Air Quality and Energy Conference

Apr. 15-16, 9am, Holiday Inn By the Bay, Portland

Northeast Biomass Heating Expo

Apr. 16-18, Cross Insurance Arena, Portland

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens "Maine Day"

Apr. 23, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay

Have a sustainability event we can help you promote?

Please e-mail us the details.

About Us
Part handbook, part coupon book, the SunriseGuide is a resource for learning about, supporting, and living in a healthy and sustainable way in southern and coastal Maine.